In order to measure the tension in a belt or similar strand a standard belt tensiometer is known that has an elongated housing having on its ends two fixed abutments defining a line, and between these two abutments a measuring tip displaceable perpendicularly of this line. The straight-line displacement of the tip perpendicularly to the line of the two abutments is transmitted into angular motion of a dial on a scale by an appropriate transmission. In use the tip is pressed against the belt until the two abutments touch the belt also, at which instant a reading is taken.
Such an apparatus has several serious disadvantages. First of all the reading obtained is frequently inaccurate. This is in part due to the conversion of the straight-line motion of the tip into an angular dial displacement. In addition the user occasionally fails to seat the two abutments on the strand being measured, so the reading is too low.
Another disadvantage with this known system is that the user must exert a substantial lateral deflecting force on the belt in order to measure its tension. This deflecting force must substantially exceed the force that needs to be exerted to determine tension, and is, in fact, frequently enough to stretch the belt slightly and thereby falsify the reading. In fact occasionally a user pushes hard enough on a belt to break it when taking a reading. It is also virtually impossible to take a reading while adjusting the tension, since at least one hand must be occupied holding the tensiometer in place.